Sashi Kiran resigns as FRIEND CEO

The founder and CEO of FRIEND Fiji, Sashi Kiran has resigned from her position.

FRIEND President, Adi Makelesi Tavaiqia says Kiran spent much energy in developing FRIEND as an organisation with the sole purpose of attempting to improve the lives of our people, a calling she felt deeply about.

She says her labour of love and all her efforts of the last 21 years have resulted in a platform for change where FRIEND has acquired 5 acres of freehold land, has built buildings for office, production, training and a restaurant, a network of communities they have served and strong trust and credibility with their donor partners.

Tavaiqia says under Kiran's leadership, the organisation rose each time to respond to meet the needs of the people in times of any disaster whether it was TC Amy in the North in 2003, TC Evan in 2012, TC Winston in 2016 or the pandemic in the last two years.

She says they have often seen Kiran entering communities, listening to the people as she helps develop interventions and looks for resources to meet the needs of the people.

The FRIEND President says the organisation has developed various social, economic, health and empowerment programs serving thousands in rural, urban, peri-urban and some outer islands including the economic empowerment benefitting the communities.

She says FRIEND itself has its own economic empowerment arms in various products and restaurants encouraging the values of health and local ownership for its own sustainability.

Tavaiqia says Kiran has provided training and guidance on the organisation’s sustainability and the next phase of its journey and has taken the much deserved leave of absence for the next few weeks.

We are trying to get comments from Kiran.